The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday swooped down on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj’s residence in Delhi, launching a fresh crackdown in the alleged ₹5,500 crore hospital construction scam. Parallel searches were carried out at several other locations, including offices and residences of private contractors linked to the controversial projects.

The high-voltage action comes under the ambit of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), with investigators probing what they describe as large-scale corruption and diversion of funds earmarked for Delhi’s health infrastructure.

Scam Trail: Big Money, Bigger Delays

According to officials, in 2018–19, the AAP government sanctioned ₹5,590 crore for the construction of 24 new hospitals with ICU facilities, promising completion within six months. However, even after three years, the projects remained stalled, with only half of the sanctioned funds reportedly spent. The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) had earlier red-flagged serious irregularities, leading to the current probe.

One senior official, speaking to ANI, revealed: “The operations are based on material collected during the course of investigation and allegations in the FIR regarding large-scale corruption and misappropriation of funds in health infrastructure projects of GNCTD. The searches cover both political leaders and contractors involved.”

AAP Pushes Back: “False Case, Political Vendetta”

Reacting sharply to the raids, AAP MP Sanjay Singh said the case has no merit. “Saurabh Bhardwaj has been raided by the ED, and the case is absolutely false, because he was not even a minister during the period this case refers to. It has become policy of the BJP government to frame AAP leaders in fake cases to try and make us bow down,” Singh alleged.

Bhardwaj, a senior party leader and MLA from Greater Kailash, served as Delhi’s Health Minister during a period when Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s government had announced ambitious plans to boost healthcare capacity.